Friday Five: Breezes

Ken Morton, Jr. | July 6th, 2012

The recent summer month has been a particularly brutal one across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast part of theUnited States. Heat records have been broken across several states and summer-related storms knocked out power – and air conditioning — to millions of people. What folks need more than anything is a cool breeze. Here comes Engine 145 to the rescue.

“Rainbow colored flowers kissed with early morning sun/The aster and the dahlia and wild geraniums/Drops of morning dew still linger on the iris leaves” Can’t you just feel the coolness on your skin?

3. David Allan Coe – “Call Me the Breeze”

The only thing scarier than the weather lately could be David Allan Coe’s appearance these days. This J.J. Cale tune has been most famously covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd, but Bobby Bare and Johnny Cash have recorded their own covers, too.

It sure is shaping up to be a rough summer. We had about a week of 100-plus temperatures here in Kentucky, and though my area has been spared the storms, we have friends up north who are without power.

Some good breezes would be appreciated indeed. I particularly enjoy Dolly’s “Early Morning Breeze.” She has a real knack for weaving vivid imagery into her lyrics.

luckyoldsun
July 6, 2012 at 5:09 pm

Jim Reeves had a lot of talent, but I’m really interested to know what was the feeling in country/hillbilly circles at the time about music of that nature being presented as “country”–and even dominating the commercial industry? Did it engender the kind of anger and contempt that acts like Rascal Flats have in recent years?

I’ve never heard that “Sea Breeze” record before, but it’s pretty good. Next time I’m in the mood for some Bing but want something a little less country, I think I’ll play it.

There are also a number of bluegrass bands who’ve covered “Call Me The Breeze,” including Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time.

That’s because Cordle did an album of Skynyrd covers.

Jim Reeves had a lot of talent, but I’m really interested to know what was the feeling in country/hillbilly circles at the time about music of that nature being presented as “country”–and even dominating the commercial industry?

There are entire books devoted to the subject of country music history in general and the Nashville Sound in particular, available for reading by those who want to actually know about such things. As opposed to those who are simply looking for grist for some kind of rhetorical mill.

Barry Mazor
July 6, 2012 at 10:26 pm

Reeves was tremendously popular–in country circles.

There is a minority in every generation that finds Only the Last Thing the Real Thing.

And if people paid that much attention, it would really be the Last Thing.